Boxer Health Care & Feeding

Jump down to this list of
Boxer Health Problems

Or check out my advice for raising a healthy Boxer puppy or adult dog:

Complete list of Boxer health problems

Because of their short face, all Boxers suffer from some degree of brachycephalic syndrome, which causes all kinds of health problems, especially respiratory, digestive, and eye ailments.

Heart problems are very high on the list of major health problems in Boxers, especially subaortic stenosis and a specific form of cardiomyopathy called familial ventricular arrythmia. Pulmonic stenosis and septal defects (holes in the heart) are other heart problems occurring in Boxers.

Tumors and cancers are a serious concern in Boxers, including lymphosarcoma, mast cell tumors, histiocytoma, osteosarcoma, hemangiosarcoma, melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and others.

Eye diseases occur regularly in Boxers:

• The most common eye problem is corneal ulcer, and in Boxers these ulcers can be very persistent and refuse to heal.
• Cataracts can occur in Boxers under age 4 and can progress to blindness.
• Other eye diseases in the breed include corneal dystrophy, cherry eye, eyelid abnormalities (entropion and ectropion), eyelash abnormalities, and occasionally progressive retinal atrophy (PRA).

Boxers often have health issues related to their digestive system – they are prone to being "gassy" (especially when fed kibble or canned diets). Ulcerative colitis (inflammatory bowel disease) is very common in Boxers. And they're at higher-than-normal risk for the emergency gastrointestinal syndrome called bloat.

The most common orthopedic health problem in Boxers is hip dysplasia. The Orthopedic Foundation of America evaluated the hip X-rays of over 6000 Boxers and found almost 12% dysplastic. In comparison, Doberman Pinschers have a 6% hip dysplasia rate. On a positive note, of 800 elbow X-rays, Boxers had only a 1% rate of elbow dysplasia. Other orthopedic health problems in Boxers include intervertebral disk disease, Wobbler's syndrome, osteochondritis, and hypertrophic osteodystrophy.

According to the Michigan State University Thyroid Database, up to 23% of Boxers have low thyroid levels. The OFA Thyroid Database says that up to 30% are affected.

Skin diseases include allergies (which cause itchy skin and can lead to pyoderma), demodectic mange (in Boxer puppies), follicular dysplasia, and non-tumorous growths.

On some older Boxers, you might see what looks like a growth on their gums, covering some of their teeth. This is actually fibrous gum tissue and the condition is called gingival hyperplasia. If the enlarged gums interfere with chewing or become damaged from chewing, the excess tissue may need to be surgically removed.

Blood-clotting diseases include von Willebrand's, hemophilia A, and factor II deficiency.

Other health problems in Boxers are degenerative myelopathy, Cushing's disease, epilepsy, pyloric stenosis, cystinuria, kidney disease, polyneuropathy, craniomandibular osteopathy, and in some white Boxer puppies, inherited deafness.

Preventing health problems

Some health problems are inherited. For example, if your dog inherits from his parents the genes for an eye disease called PRA, he will go blind and there's nothing anyone can do about it.

But most health problems can be prevented by the ways you raise your dog.

FREE eBOOK! My free online health care program, 11 Things You Must Do Right To Keep Your Dog Healthy and Happy shows you how to raise your Boxer in all the right ways that help prevent health problems. Become your dog's health care champion!